Register for our FREE workshop, Stock Market Secrets: Debunking Common Myths for Successful Investing: http://herfirst100k.com/secrets In today’s episode I’m sitting down with the “godfather of financial independence” aka JL Collins, to demystify investing in the most approachable way possible. JL has been in the game for over 50 years and wrote The Simple Path to Wealth—a book that’s helped nearly a million people understand how to grow their money with confidence. And today, he’s breaking it all down for you. We get real about what investing actually is, why you don’t need a finance degree to build wealth, and how the entire financial industry has tried to gatekeep this information. JL shares why index funds are his go-to, how to avoid common investing mistakes, and why market dips aren’t disasters—they’re opportunities. Whether you’re brand new to investing or just want a no-BS refresh on the basics, this conversation is for you. JL’s Links: The Simple Path to Wealth: https://jlcollinsnh.com/2025/04/18/a-new-edition-of-the-simple-path-to-wealth/ In this episode: 00:00 Meet J.L. Collins: The Grandfather of Financial Education 06:44 How A Simple Path To Wealth Started 14:26 Understanding Index Funds 28:31 The FIRE Movement 36:02 Calculating Financial Independence Numbers 40:28 Market Volatility: Should You Change Your Investing Strategy? 44:48 Adjusting Investment Strategies Near Retirement 53:44 Ethical Investing: Pros and Cons 01:01:21 The Role of Financial Advisors 💸 Join our exclusive community, The $100K Club: https://www.herfirst100k.com/100k-pod 🤔 Not sure where to start? Take our FREE money personality quiz: https://www.herfirst100k.com/quiz 🔨My favorite money tools: https://www.herfirst100k.com/tools 🍏Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/financial-feminist/id1566054936 🎧Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0b5qzMiw22wHBfe1x9LfaQ?si=9633d0e3280c47f3 Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/herfirst100k/ Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@herfirst100k?lang=en